Leap of Faith
by Padfoot57
Summary: Some spoilers for TIME BOMB. Calliegh and Eric run into a conflict. This is not an E/C fic, it's kind of the opposite. More information inside.


**E/C fans, turn back now. **

**I am in no way shipping anything in this little One-shot. This is just an idea I have had for a while. I have always kind of associated Rick Stetler with horses (DLS looks sexy on a horse) so that's where this came from. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI Miami and I am making no profit from this. I wrote this to unclutter my brain. **

_~He was my friend, faithful and just to me. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man.~ _The tragedy of Julius Caesar, by Shakespeare.

* * *

Calliegh looked into the dark brown eyes of Silver Lining. The stallion flicked his grey ears and nudged her hand.

"You've been doing great with him Calliegh, don't be nervous," Rick said and held the thoroughbred's bridle.

"Easy for you to say," Calliegh said and took a deep breath. She put her left foot into the silver stirrup iron, pulled herself up and gently sat into the English saddle. Silver Lining was 16.5hands (about 5 ½ feet) of wiry muscle and spunk. He jumped and pranced a little bit.

"Easy," Rick said calmly, also trying to reassure Calliegh. This horse was very professional and had never been ridden by anyone but Rick. But Rick felt Calliegh could handle him.

She felt very tall in the saddle, and looked down at Rick.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah I think so." Calliegh breathed. Rick chuckled and gave her some rope on the lunge line.

"Walk him off, be careful with signals though, he is very sensitive." Rick instructed. The stallion walked off with barely any pressure from Calliegh's legs and moved around Rick in a controlled circle. By the end of the lesson an hour and a half later Calliegh was feeling confident on the tall stallion.

(A few months later, after Time Bomb) 

The arena lights lit up the jump and Silver leapt with perfection. Calliegh came straight here after work. Riding was her second favorite way of relieving stress. The sky was also beautiful tonight with every star shining. She turned the grey around and cantered around the ring before taking another three foot jump.

Silver briefly turned his attention to headlights that pulled into the parking lot then snorted and listened to Calliegh. She was wondering who was coming here at this time of night then concentrated on jumping. She only took him over one more jump then dismounted and walked him around the ring to cool him off. Calliegh watched someone walk and lean up against the fence.

"Shit," she murmured under her breath. Eric didn't like the thought of her jumping 0n horses. He had told her that several times but Calliegh wanted to learn. Rick had offered to teach her as long as they didn't talk about the lab. Both had agreed to that and Calliegh always enjoyed the lessons he taught her.

"Calliegh! What are you doing here?" Eric demanded.

"What does it look like?" she snapped.

"I thought I told you this was dangerous and I didn't want you to jump." Eric said.

"You don't own me," Calliegh snorted. Silver pinned his ears, he didn't like the tone of their voices.

"I'm just looking out for you, whose horse is that anyways?" Eric asked.

"It's none of your business," Calliegh said. She led Silver into the barn and put him on crossties before lifting the saddle from his back. The stallion pinned his ears and swung his head to watch Eric.

"That horse is dangerous."

"You're making him upset. He doesn't like it when people argue." Calliegh said and ran a soft brush over the thoroughbred's silky coat.

"I'm sorry Calliegh, it's been a rough day." Eric sighed.

"I know." Calliegh yawned and picked up Silver's feet and picked the dirt out of them.

"Don't tell me he's Stetler's horse," Eric said after a minute.

"Why would he be Stetler's?" Calliegh asked.

"I heard they had to find someone to sign his horses into their custody." Eric said.

"Oh," Calliegh said. Rick had asked her to take them and she could just pay for their boarding out of his savings. She had no problem taking care of his three stallions. They were beautiful smart animals. Rick had also taught her to ride all of them.

One of Rick's other horses stuck his head over the door of his stall and nickered to Silver. The grey answered and tugged on the ropes holding him still. "In a second," Calliegh told him and put the saddle and bridle on a rack.

"So whose is he?" Eric persisted.

"He's pretty much mine now. He won't see his owner until he is at least twenty five." Calliegh said

"So he is Stetler's?"

"I didn't say that," Calliegh said and led Silver to his stall.

"Calliegh do you have to be difficult?" Eric sighed. She slid the door shut to Silver's stall and put the lock in place.

"I'm not being difficult." Calliegh said and stroked the nose of Rick's quarter horse, Xalbador.

"I have a feeling you have been spending a good amount of time with Stetler," Eric said.

"Are you accusing me of cheating?"

"I saw how upset you were when he was arrested," Eric said.

"We were friends, that's it. He taught me to jump and we never talked about anything but horses," Calliegh sniffed.

"Yeah and he gave you his horses. I think you are the one I need to watch," Eric said.

"Then we are through. I can't trust you and you can't trust me. I'll be by for my things tomorrow," Calliegh said.

"Calliegh I-"

"Don't say anything, I'll see you tomorrow," Calliegh pushed past him and out into the dark parking lot.

Eric stood there for a minute and watched her go. Silver stuck his nose out of the bars on his stall and stuck out his tongue.

"Damn horse," Eric muttered and walked out to his own car.

**Love it? Hate it? I know it's different. **


End file.
